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As we approach the culmination of Pride Month, It Gets Better has rounded up some of the community's biggest allies for their Digital Pride experience that touches on everything from culture to fitness, fashion and music. For the latter, the organization has recruited Aly & AJ to perform as part of the two-day affair, which kicked off on Wednesday afternoon (June 23). Ahead of their Thursday set, the former Disney darlings spoke with iHeartRadio about the upcoming concert, their LGBTQ+ following and what they have in store for the rest of the year.
"We’re excited to further show our support and love towards Pride month. We have so many LGBTQ+ fans that we know are gonna enjoy this virtual experience," the pop pair said of the second annual event, which will be hosted by Kalen Allen featuring Monique Heart. "We can’t wait to see other people’s involvement."
For the Digital Pride experience, Aly & AJ will serve as musical entertainment, alongside VINCINT, and they're happy to perform at yet another Pride celebration. Asked about their first time attending a Pride event, they said they have early memories of going with their best friend Raymond Braun, who came out to them as a teenager. "We’ve held a very special bond ever since and we’re going on 20 years of friendship with him," they explained. They've held a strong bond with the community, but it was after the release of their Ten Years EP in 2017 that they recognized the loyalty. "We realized that many of our fans found comfort and acceptance through our music," they admitted.
In addition to their performance at It Gets Better: A Digital Pride Experience, the two are prepping to hit the road to support their recent album, a touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun, which dropped in May. "The most rewarding part of this project for us was the fact that we were free to make this record our way," the two explained. "We’ve never been able to turn out a collection of songs without major input from others, and this go around we had only ourselves and our producer to answer to. We are so proud of the musical choices we made and the quality of songwriting we captured."
It arrives almost a decade-and-a-half after the pair's last studio album, Insomniatic, and if the pair was to talk to their teen selves, they'd have some strong advice to share. "I would tell ourselves to never stop making music and to never stop touring. Our fans brought our career back to life and we have them to thank for this 14 year in the making resurgence," they declared.
For now, the two are steadily beginning to write for their next album and scheduled for a set at Lollapalooza in July. "I think it’s gonna be absolutely electric," the sisters said of their return to the stage. "Our live show is a really important aspect to our band, and we hope to be touring for many years to come. Being able to see live music again will not only be a healing experience for the audience, but for us as performers."